YAMAA's Blog - Youth Awareness Movement Against AIDS In Africa.

Starting HIV Meds With a Low CD4 Count? Adding IL-2 May Offer Short-Term Help, Study Finds

People who start HIV meds with a very low CD4 count can get a quick immune boost by taking interleukin-2 (IL-2), a new Italian study has found. Experts have long known that IL-2 (which is not an approved HIV therapy) acts as an immune booster, but side effects and other issues have prevented it from going into widespread use. This new study found that people who took three courses of IL-2 within the first three months of starting HIV meds had a faster, greater increase in CD4 count and developed… Continue

Added by YAMAA on November 23, 2008 at 10:03pm — No Comments

Few of South Africa's 1.5 Million AIDS Orphans Are Being Adopted

A South African official is begging his countrymen to adopt children who have been orphaned by HIV. About 1.5 million South African children have lost their parents to the virus, Social Development Minister Zola Skweyiya says, but in 2007 the number of AIDS orphans adopted in South Africa fell by 13 percent to 1,900. "South Africa is facing a challenge of increasing numbers of orphaned children, abandoned babies, worrying levels of abuse, neglect and exploitation of children," Skweyiya said. "We… Continue

Added by YAMAA on November 23, 2008 at 9:56pm — No Comments

First-Ever Organ Transplant Between HIV-Positive People

Surgeons in South Africa have successfully transplanted a kidney from an HIV-positive donor to an HIV-positive recipient, the first time such a procedure has been done. The move was somewhat controversial, due to fears that the recipient would be put at risk for superinfection with the donor's strain of HIV. However, the operation was a step forward not only for HIV medicine, but also for organ transplants among HIVers in South Africa, where there had been a long-standing ban on organ donations… Continue

Added by YAMAA on November 23, 2008 at 9:32pm — No Comments

Dealing With the Trauma of HIV

As anybody who's been diagnosed with HIV knows, life with the virus has its ups and downs. But often it's how we deal with the downs that really matters. For instance, people who have never truly been able to cope with the trauma of their HIV diagnosis may start to miss their doctor's appointments or skip their HIV meds. Research has also shown conflicting evidence about the possible impact of trauma on a person's immune system and CD4 count. Although the exact link between HIV and trauma is not… Continue

Added by YAMAA on October 3, 2008 at 9:00pm — No Comments

Islamic Nigerian State Arranges Marriages for HIV-Positive Couples

A Nigerian state governed by Islamic law has arranged marriages for 140 HIV-positive men and women. The government's argument is that it's pairing up people with HIV in order to battle the "isolation and stigma" of HIV and prevent the spread of the virus. At least one HIV-positive groom appeared to agree, at least on record: "If we should fear God, we should stop spreading the HIV virus through indiscriminate marriage, thereby infecting innocent people," he said. "Marrying someone with the same… Continue

Added by YAMAA on October 3, 2008 at 8:59pm — No Comments

Taking HIV Meds Throughout Pregnancy Does More Good Than Harm, Study Suggests

Just how safe is it for a woman to take a full HIV treatment regimen while she's pregnant? Quite safe, according to a new study out of Africa. Compared to women who only received a brief course of HIV meds at the end of their pregnancy (and another course for the baby after birth), women who took a full treatment regimen throughout their pregnancy were less likely to pass HIV to their babies, the study found. Babies of women on consistent HIV treatment were more likely to have low birth weight,… Continue

Added by YAMAA on October 3, 2008 at 8:53pm — No Comments

Anti-Gay Laws in Africa Make Fighting HIV Much Harder, Activists Say

"As long as [gay men] are ignored, all efforts undertaken in the world to combat AIDS will be destined to fail," says Joel Nana of the Africa office of the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission. Homosexuality is a punishable offense in 38 of Africa's 53 nations, forcing gay men "underground." Perhaps as a result, HIV is much more common among gay men throughout Africa than the general population. HIV prevention efforts are sometimes met with violence, making outreach much harder… Continue

Added by YAMAA on September 10, 2008 at 9:47pm — No Comments

Common Genetic Defect May Prevent Our Bodies From Fighting HIV, Scientists Say

Ordinarily, when a germ gets into the human body, the immune system starts spitting out chemicals that prevent the invader from doing too much damage. But that defense rarely works against HIV. Why? New research by scientists at the U.S. National Institutes of Health suggests that a specific gene in our DNA prevents our bodies from manufacturing the specific germ-fighting chemicals needed to block HIV. If their theory can be proven correct, the scientists say it could put us on the path towards… Continue

Added by YAMAA on September 10, 2008 at 9:46pm — No Comments

Scientists Identify Proteins That Make Some Sex Workers Naturally Resistant to HIV

Despite being exposed to HIV again and again for years, some female sex workers remain HIV negative. But how? Canadian and Kenyan researchers believe they have identified specific, natural proteins that may make these women resistant to HIV. Of the 3,000 sex workers in their study, the researchers identified 140 who showed natural immunity to HIV. They found that differences in vaginal fluid may explain the HIV resistance. If further studies can prove this true, then those proteins could be an e… Continue

Added by YAMAA on September 10, 2008 at 9:46pm — No Comments

Transgender Health Expert Explores HIV in Transgender Communities

What's the current state of HIV prevention and care in transgender communities? Check out the many insights offered by Walter Bockting, Ph.D., a psychologist and international authority on transgender health, in this interview with Positively Aware. Dr. Bockting talks about the specific challenges faced by transgender HIVers, and gives a thorough introduction to the ins and outs of what it means to be transgender. Continue

Added by YAMAA on September 10, 2008 at 9:45pm — No Comments

FDA Says It Will Investigate Possible Link Between Intelence and Joint Problems

Intelence (etravirine) is being investigated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a possible cause of joint problems in some people with HIV. Intelence was one of 20 drugs (but the only HIV med) named in a new FDA report on medications the FDA has decided to examine further to see if they cause any previously unreported side effects. The concern about Intelence stems from a single report of an HIV-positive person who developed a condition called "hemarthrosis," an accumulation of bl… Continue

Added by YAMAA on September 10, 2008 at 9:44pm — No Comments

Looking to the Future -- HIV Leaders Envision the Next Two Decades

What do you think the HIV pandemic will look like in the year 2031? At this year's International AIDS Conference, the directors of two of the world's most influential HIV agencies -- Anthony Fauci of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and Peter Piot of UNAIDS -- joined treatment advocates and community activists from around the globe in responding to that question. This diverse group of leaders shared their unique perspectives on the past, present and future of the pa… Continue

Added by YAMAA on September 10, 2008 at 9:43pm — No Comments

The Birth of an HIV Activist

Loreen Willenberg has lived with HIV for 16 years now, but she's just beginning to get involved in the world of HIV work. It's been an evolution for Loreen, but the more she's learned about HIV activism, the more she's realized that it's her "natural habitat" -- and the more secure she's grown that HIV activism isn't dead after all, as some have claimed. In her latest blog post, Loreen explains how she's become more certain than ever that HIV work is her calling: She writes, "I am in good compan… Continue

Added by YAMAA on September 10, 2008 at 9:42pm — No Comments

Immune Booster May Allow People to Delay Start of HIV Treatment, Study Suggests

All HIV medications on the market right now fight HIV head on, but researchers and activists have long been intrigued by a second line of attack: Instead of creating drugs to go after HIV itself, some scientists are trying to develop drugs that keep HIV down by boosting a person's immune system. A drug known as interleukin-2 (IL-2) has gotten a lot of attention over the years as a potential immune booster in HIVers, but study results have been inconsistent. However, a new study presented at the… Continue

Added by YAMAA on September 1, 2008 at 2:33am — No Comments

Milk Thistle Extract May Improve Liver Health in HIVers With Hep C, Study Suggests

People seeking a natural way to keep their livers healthy sometimes try taking a milk thistle supplement, but does it really help? Evidence so far is thin, but a small study of an extract from milk thistle seed (called silymarin) found that, when taken by people who are coinfected with HIV and hepatitis C, it may reduce their levels of a chemical that's released when the liver is damaged. Also a plus: The extract doesn't appear to cause any significant side effects. Though this is good news, it'… Continue

Added by YAMAA on September 1, 2008 at 2:32am — No Comments

Desperate Situations Put Children in Togo at Risk for HIV

"Children are disappearing out of school [in Togo]," says Alice Behrendt. "All of a sudden, out of a class of 30 children, there are 15 missing." So goes the disturbing story of children in Togo who are "trafficked" -- brought by agents to surrounding countries to be exploited for their work. In this interview with TheBody.com, Behrendt, who works with trafficked girls through the international development organization Plan West Africa, talks about her work in Togo -- a country where rape is far… Continue

Added by YAMAA on September 1, 2008 at 2:28am — No Comments

Can You Safely Have Sex Without a Condom? A Calm, Careful Look at the Evidence

When Swiss doctors issued a report early this year arguing that, in very specific circumstances, people with HIV can consider ditching condoms with their HIV-negative partners, many erupted in outrage. Not so fast, says this analysis from Project Inform: The San Francisco-based HIV organization argues that dismissing the so-called "Swiss statement" would be "both scientifically and ethically unsound." Continue

Added by YAMAA on September 1, 2008 at 2:25am — No Comments

New York City's HIV Rate Is Three Times Higher Than Rest of U.S.

Most of us probably already knew that New York City has been hit harder by HIV than most other U.S. cities. But did you know the epidemic is expanding in the city at a rate three times faster than in the rest of the country? A new report from the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene paints what may be the most accurate picture to date about the state of HIV in Manhattan and its surrounding boroughs. The report says that 4,762 New Yorkers became HIV positive in 2006; about three… Continue

Added by YAMAA on September 1, 2008 at 2:25am — No Comments

How Do Religion and HIV Prevention Mix?

When it comes to HIV prevention, the world's religions have often been more of an obstacle than a help. This may be partly because the leaders of many major religions explicitly disapprove of homosexuality. In a fascinating session at the XVII International AIDS Conference, three experts -- a former Hindu monk who's now a gay rights activist in India, a U.S. physician and an Australian researcher -- try to answer the question: Is religion a barrier to HIV prevention? Continue

Added by YAMAA on September 1, 2008 at 2:23am — No Comments

Why HIV Can't Be Fought With Meds Alone

"You can't fight AIDS without medicine, but you also can't fight AIDS with medicine alone," writes Helen Epstein. The XVII International AIDS Conference inspired many people to talk about where the HIV community should be focusing its efforts in the future. In this article, Epstein explains why we can't truly beat HIV without improving our efforts to prevent people from becoming infected in the first place. Continue